Greasy Hamburgers and Beer Milkshakes
by LileyKigoSpashleyRizzslesLover
Summary: Constance Isles had another reason for visiting The Dirty Robber than just saying goodbye. What happens when she wants to show her daughter support for her choice of partner? Continuation of S2E6. Jane/Maura. Oneshot.


A/N: This may be the last one of these post episode stories I can do since school starts next Monday. If I do continue them then it will take a lot longer than normal to get them up.

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"You cannot believe how healthy Starsky is." Angela said, obvious surprise in her tone as she – along with Maura and Jane – snacked on some peanuts at their booth in The Dirty Robber.

"Didn't you find he had more turquoise feathers after he recovered?" Jane asked, hinting at what really happened with the small bird. Receiving a kick under the table from her best friend, she flinched. "Ow!" She coughed, trying to cover it.

"What's the matter?" Her mother asked.

"Gas… pains." She lied - badly.

"Really?" She wasn't convinced.

Maura looked up, seeing the door across the room open, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Hmm...My mother's here. I thought she was in Paris."

"Maybe she forgot to say goodbye." The detective offered.

The M.E. looked over at her best friend, suspecting she had something to do with it.

Jane just smiled and continued chewing on her peanut.

"May I join you?" Constance asked, walking up to the three of them.

"Mother." Her daughter said, standing. "What a lovely surprise."

"Darling." She greeted, going in for a two-cheek-kiss greeting. "I couldn't go without seeing you one more time."

"Sit." Maura offered.

Constance looked at the shell covered table and grimaced.

"Here." Jane said, pushing the offending objects onto the floor.

"Oh, don't – don't worry. I'm not _that _fussy." She said, taking a seat next to Jane.

Maura laughed, thinking otherwise.

"Here." Angela placed a bar napkin in front of the other woman, who started clearing off about a square foot of the table in front of her.

Jane watched the action. "Hmm, strange, wonder where Maura gets it." She said before turning to the other woman, trying to joke around some more. "Do you like greasy hamburgers?"

"Actually I'd love a hamburger. It's been years."

The other women at the table smiled at her, thinking she was kidding.

"Oh, good… cause this place got some really good one's after the health department shut it down." Jane said, grabbing another peanut.

Constance looked over at her, horrified. "The health department?"

"Mmm-hmm." Jane just said before popping it in her mouth.

"Mom, it's a joke. She likes to kid." She said, gesturing to said woman.

Her eyes weren't on her daughter, however, they were watching a milkshake being dropped off at a nearby table. "Milkshake. I haven't had one for ages. Oh god, I love them."

"Really?" Maura asked, surprised. "I – I didn't know that."

"No?"

"I – I would like one." Angela said, feeling left out of the conversation, as she played with the shelled nut in her hand. "Strawberry."

"Since when do you like milkshakes?" Jane asked.

"Since now." She responded, giving her daughter a look.

Jane just nodded, going with it. "Alright I'm having a beer."

Constance looked over at her. "A beer milkshake?"

"Yes. Uh, yes, a beer milkshake. It's what all the mooks here in Boston drink."

"O- okay, she's kidding, she's kidding," Angela assured. "It's another joke."

Jane looked down at the pile of shells in front her and laughed. "Well I can certainly see the family resemblance."

Everyone laughed at that.

"I can see the family resemblance too!" Maura chimed.

Angela looked over at her and beamed. "You do?"

"Yes! The two of you are so much alike!"

Jane scowled and searched out her best friend's shin under the table. Finding it, she gave it a swift kick.

"Ow!"

"What is it?" The two older woman asked in concern.

"Nothing… it's nothing." Maura assured as Jane said the same thing.

"Do you want a peanut?" The detective asked, placing the plate of them in front of her best friend's mother. "They're really good."

"Thank you!"

"I can have someone come by and shell them for you." She joked again.

This time, the older woman caught on and laughed before taking one for herself. It took her a few tries but she eventually got it open and popped it into her mouth.

Jane looked up and spotted a waiter. Figuring the other woman wasn't kidding about the burger, she waved him over.

He came over a moment later and looked at the group expectantly, pen at the ready.

"I'd like a burger and a milkshake." Maura's mother said.

He sighed. "What kind? The bacon-extreme. Hawaiian sunrise. Red hot pepper blast…" He listed off until the woman cut him off.

"Just… just a regular burger."

"Alright. And what kind of shake."

"Chocolate?" She asked, wondering if there was some crazy variety of that as well.

"Alright. And everyone else?"

"A strawberry shake for me." Angela said.

Maura just shook her head when his eyes landed on her as she was perfectly content with her wine.

Jane laughed before ordering hers. "A beer milkshake."

He just nodded and wrote it down before walking away.

The detective's face fell. "Wait… he didn't actually write that did he?"

"Looked like it." Maura said, smiling at her.

"I'm a little afraid to try what I just ordered."

"Who knows, maybe you'll _actually _try something new and like it." Angela said, laughing.

Jane glared at her, and then at Maura who laughed along with her.

"What is this, 'pick on Jane day'?"

"I'm sorry, Jane but… it's true." The M.E. said with only a small bit of remorse in her eyes.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes. "Can we just change the subject to something that's _not _about me?"

"How about the art show thing? How'd that go?" Angela asked.

"The installation? It went well, thank you." Constance answered. They talked for a bit more about it when the waiter came back with their orders and placed the items on the table.

Angela grabbed her strawberry concoction and took one big sip, before wincing. "Brain freeze."

The other older woman poked at her burger while Jane, next to her, was sniffing at what was in front of her carefully. "No forks with this?" The older woman asked.

Jane took her gaze away from the white frothy drink and looked to her right. "Nope. Gotta eat it with your hands like us savages." She joked.

She looked at it for a moment, considering the suggested action, before shrugging. "Oh well… you only live once, right?" She lifted it up to her mouth and took a bite. It was a pretty juicy one as all sorts of stuff started dripping down onto her plate. She set it back down with a slightly disgusted look on her face. "Not too clean, is it?"

They continued talking and eating for awhile longer. When there was a lull in the conversation, Constance put down her burger and spoke up. "Honey, may I have a word with you for a moment?"

"Uh… sure, Mother."

"Excuse us." She said to the other two at the table before standing and walking to a quieter part of the bar. After a moment she began."Maura, dear. I actually came here because I wanted to talk to you."

"Good, because I wanted to talk to you as well. You know, you didn't need to slum with us and pretend like you actually _like _all this stuff. I mean, come on, a burger?"

Constance nodded in her favor. "Alright, you've got me there. This one had a bit too much grease for my liking. But I did have a nice time. Now, what I wanted to say – "

"No." Maura held up her hand. "I want to go first, I've been waiting thirty years to say this."

"Yes?"

"You've – you've given me a lot and I thank you for that. But – but you didn't give me what every child needs. More than expensive boarding schools or trips to Europe on a private jet. You didn't love me – at least not in a way that was very apparent to me. And I didn't really realize it until I spent time with Jane and her family." She looked down, forlorn, as the heaviness in her heart became too great to keep her composure while looking at the cause of it.

"Maura… I'm sorry about that, I really am. And I _did _try to – "

"Oh that's complete crap and you know it!" Maura spat out as her head snapped up to look at her.

"Maura!" The elder Isles gasped at her daughter's brash behavior.

"I'm sorry but – If you were even _one -tenth _the mother Angela is then maybe I wouldn't be such a disappointment to you and Daddy!"

"Disappointment? Maura, dear, what could ever give you the impression that you have ever been a disappointment?"

"How about all those dance recitals you missed? Or the fencing matches? Or my graduation?"

"I'm a busy woman. You know that…"

"Too busy for her own daughter? And it's not like I was a 'surprise' to the two of you since I was adopted! Probably just another one of your accessories."

Constance's eyes softened. "Maura… I'm sorry I ever made you feel that way. Your father and I love you _very _much. I am so incredibly heartbroken that you never felt that we did. If there's anything… anything at all that I can do to make it up to you, you let me know. Okay?"

Maura sighed, trying to calm herself down, and nodded. "I'll let you know if I think of anything." But she knew she never would. Nothing could make up for a childhood of neglect. "But what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Jane."

That caused the M.E.'s eyebrows to furrow. "What about her?"

"Well… the other night – when you went to go get drinks – we had a little chat."

"I figured as much. She didn't say anything to upset you, did she?"

"Quite the opposite, actually. She's a very… blunt woman, isn't she?"

"She has her own ways of talking to people, yes." Maura couldn't help but let out a light laugh at that.

"Well… she explained to me in no uncertain terms that she was very protective of you and didn't like the way that I had apparently hurt you. I just wanted to let you know that – while I was a little… surprised at your choice of partner – I am very glad you're happy. Though, I have to admit, she won't really make that good an impression at my dinner parties."

"Well thank you mother. I am so lucky that she is working homicide in the same division where I am."

"Is that how you two met?"

"Yes." She cocked her head to the side, sensing she wasn't fully understanding what her mother was trying to say. "What did you mean by 'partner's' exactly?"

"You and Jane. You're lovers, are you not?"

"What! No!" She protested loudly, drawing a few curious glances from a few nearby patrons. She brought her tone down to a near whisper. "How could you think that?"

"Well she was being _very _protective – more so than any 'best friend' should. And I saw the way she was looking at you at dinner the other night."

"Wha – " She stopped and considered what she just heard, unable to keep a faint smile off her face. "How – how was she looking at me?"

"Like she was a fool in love. You know, like in all those romantic comedies you loved to watch as a teen."

Maura wracked her brain to try and recall the other night but was unable to do so clearly due to the haze of panic she was under at the time. "Really?" Her smile got bigger.

"Yes…" She said slowly. "Why do you sound surprised?"

"Jane and I aren't together."

"Now I'm surprised. Are you sure, dear? I don't mind, if that's what you're worried about."

Maura gazed over at the booth that Jane and her mother were currently conversing in and unconsciously licked her lips. "Oh, I wouldn't mind having a piece of tha– " She shook her head, stopping herself. "Um… no, we're not."

Constance followed her daughter's gaze and smiled, already knowing the answer to the next question. "But you'd like to be?"

She heaved a nervous smile before nodding. "Yes. Definitely."

"Well… is there anything else you and I need to discuss right now?"

"No."

"Then I'm going to talk to your friend. Is that okay?"

"About what?"

"Just trust me, Maura."

While she was afraid to, she nodded anyway, giving her consent. The two walked back to the table. Maura sat down while Constance stayed standing.

"Jane… may I have a word with you for a moment?"

"Me?" She asked, looking confused.

"Yes."

She stood and followed her to the same spot she was moments earlier. They stopped and she gave her an expectant look, telling her to start.

"I know I haven't been a very good mother to Maura – you pointed that out well enough the other night – but I am protective of her as well. And I hate seeing her like this."

Jane's brows furrowed with confusion as she looked over at her best friend. "Like what? She seems fine to me."

"But she's not."

"Do you know something I don't? Cause I've spent almost every day with her since I met her and the worst I've seen her was when you came to visit – no offense."

"None taken." She assured. "She's not truly happy, Jane. She's missing something. Something that everyone needs but isn't so easy to get." She tried to hint. "Something that I _know _she can."

Jane's face fell. "It's not a spleen is it? Cause I'll fly to China and get one off the black market if I have to!"

Constance let out a laugh. "No, dear. She's perfectly healthy as far as I know. But she doesn't have much love in her life, no thanks to me."

"She's got friends now, don't worry. She's practically part of my family. Hell, if she gets any closer she'll have to change her last name to Rizzoli!" She laughed.

"So you get it, then?" She asked, thinking that that was a possible hint at marriage.

"Get what?" She asked, taking a drink of her shake.

"That my daughter's in love with you."

Cue real life spit take.

"What? Maura in – _What_?"

The older woman blinked rapidly, trying to whisk away the particles from her eyes, before reaching up to wipe her face.

"Oh my – I'm _so _sorry!" Jane said, grabbing some nearby napkins and dabbing at the art lover's face.

"It's okay… I've got it." She said, taking the absorbent sheets from her. A few minutes later her face was dry – though still sticky. "How is it that everyone's so blind? I haven't even been around you two for a week and that was the _only _vibe I got."

"What vibe?"

"That you two are together."

"Together? Like couple together? Like – dating… each other?" She had to laugh, thinking that Giovanni had spread that rumor around town. "Who'd you hear that from?"

"Nobody. In fact, Maura seemed just as surprised when I asked her about it."

The detective's eyebrows raised. "You've talked to her about it already? What did she say? Was she horrified?"

"No." She laughed. "Like I said before: she loves you."

"Are you – are you being serious right now? Or do bad jokes run in the family too?"

"I am not joking, I assure you."

Jane eyed her suspiciously. "And how do I know that you're not just doing this in some sick way to get me out of her life? Cause I know I'm not exactly the type of person your family normally associates themselves with."

"While that is true, I have tried to be a woman of my word."

Jane snorted at that. "Like when you said you'd put your own daughter on the list to your little art show thing?"

"I've already explained that to you." She sighed, growing tired of this back-and-forth business. "Look, if you don't believe me that's fine. But I don't want to see my daughter heartbroken. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a jet I don't want to be late for." She stepped aside Jane and walked to the two women in the booth before bidding them farewell.

A few moments later Maura stepped in front of her best friend. "Jane? What's the matter? Why are you still over here?"

"Huh?" She asked, being broken from her thoughts by the very subject of them.

"Did she say something to upset you? She can be a bit insensitive at times."

"No! No, she was… she was fine. I was just thinking."

"Now I know something's wrong." She smiled.

"There you are making jokes again." She said, her own lips curving upwards to match Maura's. "But everything's fine."

"You sure?" She asked, worried her mother had discussed what she had told her.

Jane just nodded. "Let's go back to the table, kay?"

"Yeah… sure…" She said, joining her.

They sat down in their previous spots and tried to get back in a flowy conversation. Angela was the only one really contributing to it, however, as the other two women were very distracted.

Jane's mind was busy going through the pros and cons of doing anything to figure out if what Constance had said was true. She had wanted to pursue a relationship with her best friend for so long but figured it was impossible. Maura, however, was trying to figure out what her mother had told her and was hoping it wasn't anything that could potentially harm the best friendship she's ever been a part of.

"Okay, what is it with you two?" She asked in frustration. "I'd understand if it was just one of you acting like this but… both of you? Did she say something to upset you? Because you know I'm not below teaching anyone who hurts my girls a lesson."

Maura smiled at the phrasing she had used. "No… she – it's fine. Really. It's just a bit late. I think I should get going home." She stood up.

Jane, seeing a chance, jumped up. "Good idea, Maura!" She said a bit too enthusiastically and then coughed, trying to tone it down. "Why don't you stay at my place? It's closer… and you _have _been drinking."

"I can take a cab."

"No, Maura… please?" She pleaded before leaning in closer. "I'd like to talk to you in private anyway."

Fear enveloped her heart but she nodded. "Alright, sure." She turned to Angela. "Did you want me to call you a cab?"

"No, you girls go on. I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"She already said we can go, Maura. You haven't learned that that's a rarity with her yet?" She asked, grabbing her best friend's arm and dragging her out.

When they got outside Jane shivered, prompting Maura to take off her blazer and placing it around the other woman's shoulders.

She tried shrugging it off. "No, Maura. I'm fine…"

"So am I. And I'm not shivering so… I insist."

Jane didn't fight it when Maura stopped them to button it up.

The M.E.'s nose crinkled up when she stepped back to take in the outfit. "It doesn't really go with those shoes… or that belt…. or those pants…"

"Alright, alright, I get it. But it's dark, I'm sure no one will notice."

"You think so?" She asked, seemingly worried about that very thing.

"Yes. Now can we go?"

Maura nodded.

The few blocks to Jane's apartment were spent mostly in silence as both women wanted to get as much thinking time in as possible before they had to discuss what was on their minds. When they reached the building, Maura stalled as much as possible by taking her time at the four-story walkup.

"C'mon, Maura… I know you're not normally this slow on the stairs."

"These are new heels." She stated. While not the true reason behind what Jane had said, it was a true statement.

Jane just shook her head and continued on ahead, already entering the residence and getting Joe her food before Maura walked in.

"So? What was it you were wanting to talk about?" She asked, having given herself a pep talk in the stairwell.

"Your mother." She said simply. "Well… what she said."

"And what did she say?"

"Something that I'm sure is not true…. she thinks you're in love with me." She said, figuring to just get that out of the way as soon as she could. She kept a close eye on the other woman, looking for _anything _that could give her a hint as to whether that was true or not.

"She did?"

"Yeah… you're not upset that she's just lying about you behind your back?"

"She…" Maura took a second to give herself another pep talk – internally this time. "She wasn't lying."

"Really?" Shock showed on her face in her voice as she was pretty convinced it wasn't true. "She – she wasn't? You – you – "

"Yes, Jane… I love you. I'm in love with you. And have been for quite awhile."

"I have to sit down." The detective said, backing up until the back of her legs hit her sofa and her body collapsed down on top of it.

"Are you okay?" Maura asked, worried that the news was not well received.

"Yes." She smiled. "I'm more than okay. I'm just – I'm a little stunned, Maura. I know I'm not really your type. I mean – you've said it yourself."

"Yes… that _is _true. But no one ever said that your soul mate had to be your type."

"Soul mate?"

"Oh… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that aloud." Maura covered her mouth with her hand.

"It's okay." Jane smiled, getting enough strength back in her legs to stand again. "I actually think the same thing."

"You do?"

"Yeah… And you know what soul mates do, right?"

"Search each other out in each lifetime?"

"Well… okay. But we've found each other. So what now?" Jane asked, suggestive smirk on her face.

"Oh…" Maura said, cluing in. "You mean, this?" She leaned forward, closing the distance between them, and connected their lips. It was a short kiss, not even lasting a second before she pulled away.

Jane frowned. "No." She shook her head. "I mean _this_." She repeated Maura's previous action but –this time – did so with ten times the passion. It lasted longer as well and, by the time they were done, they were on the couch – Maura atop Jane – and out of breath.

"Right." The M.E. breathed. "_That_."

"So… I take it that was what you and your mother were discussing before… right?" Jane asked, still a little worried.

Maura just smiled and hooked her finger on the neck of the other woman's shirt to pull her closer. "Can we not talk about my mother right now?"

Jane could only nod as she was dragged quite willingly to her bedroom.


End file.
